Steineded How sad is this?

Moustroll Good movie but grossly overrated

Konterr Brilliant and touching

Kien Navarro Exactly the movie you think it is, but not the movie you want it to be.

JohnHowardReid Fortunately, the Moore-Hughes-Green film, Ella Cinders (1926) is available on a superb DVD, this time from Sunrise Silents who offer the finest Kodascope print I've ever seen in my life. This super-popular Colleen Moore offering was one of the most borrowed films in my local Kodascope Library - so well-used in fact that the original tinted print had long since worn out and been replaced by a black-and-white dupe. But here is the movie in all its original tinted splendor - and hardly a scratch on it! Mind you, the story is super-slight, but who cares? It's no more than an excuse to showcase Colleen as Cinderella. Admittedly, Lloyd Hughes makes a dull Prince Charming, but he is not in the movie all that much. The seven dwarfs, of course, are a delight: Harry Allen as the impatient photographer; Jed Prouty, the mayor; Jack Duffy, the chief fireman; Mike Donlin, the studio gateman; Harry Langdon, the clown; Alfred E. Green - yes, Alfred E. Green himself - as the director; and Chief Yowlachie as a cigar-smoking Indian. And I must mention the delightfully obnoxious trio of Vera Lewis (step-mother), Doris Baker and Emily Gerdes (pushy sisters). In short, as already noted, a must-have DVD for even the most basic collection of cinema masterpieces.

Michael Morrison Right up to the end, this is a wonderful bit of entertainment, primarily because of the star, the former Kathleen Morrison, Colleen Moore.She's not only lovely to look at, not only completely adorable, she is one marvelous actress, apparently being re-discovered in recent years. (There is even a website: https://sites.google.com/site/colleenmooresite/)The story is based on a comic strip of that name which is based, obviously, on the Cinderella story.Ella opens the story being badly put-upon, naturally, but she has one ally and, while being the family servant during a party, learns there is a beauty contest coming up in their hometown of Roseville in which the winner is awarded a chance at film stardom in Hollywood.(Fascinating coincidence: The story starts in "Roseville," no state identified {like Springfield in "The Simpsons"?} and a Duckduckgo search turns up this: "Colleen Moore, Marriage & Family Therapist, Roseville, CA"!)Reading a "how-to" book on being an actor, Ella sees these words: "The greatest requisite to stardom is the eyes. Master the art of expressing every emotion with the eyes."Following that scene is a masterpiece of special effects (slightly reminding me of Colleen's role in "Orchids and Ermine," or at least one scene therein) and evidence Ella learned the lesson.Colleen Moore certainly did learn that book's lesson. Movie after movie starring the lovely lady gave us the evidence that her eyes did indeed express "every emotion."Eyes and face, and, really, her entire being. Colleen Moore probably could have coasted along on her looks and personality, but she set out to be an actress, not just a star.There are, interestingly, some slight parallels to "Ella Cinders" and Kathleen Morrison and how they accomplished what they did in Hollywood, except Kathleen grew up with a successful and loving family.That family, though, consented to her winning her trip to Hollywood but all along figuring that in a few months she would tire of it and return home. She was 17, and obviously could not know her own mind.Ha.She stayed and was almost an immediate success, but still put in the effort to learn her craft.Her life should be a movie.On the other hand, "Ella Cinders" presents no surprises, except, perhaps, to viewers not familiar with Colleen Moore, not already knowing what an extraordinary performer she was.As a long-time fan, I am happy to see the re-discovery of her. I first saw her in "Orchids and Ermine," presented almost yearly in the 1970s at The Silent Movie Theatre on Fairfax Boulevard in Los Angeles, then run by the Hamptons, John and Dorothy (people to whom I will always owe a huge debt of gratitude for their dedication to silent movies)."Ella Cinders," a thoroughly enjoyable film, is available in a good version at YouTube, although some will discount the jazz-era recordings used as sound-track.I highly recommend "Ella Cinders."

Maliejandra Kay Ella Cinders is like a modern day (well, for the 1920s) Cinderella story. A poor girl (Colleen Moore) living in a house with her stepmother and stepsisters like a servant has only things going right for her. She has the love of a sweet man in town (Lloyd Hughes) and a film contest that she wins. A group of men hold a beauty contest in town and the prize is a trip to Hollywood to become an actress. The stepsisters and half of the town think they will win the prize, but a funny picture puts Ella in the spotlight, sending her on a train to Hollywood. Once there, she finds that the place isn't what she dreamed it would be, but she cannot go home so she does her best to succeed.Harry Langdon makes a very funny but short appearance in the movie. Even without his appearance, this movie would be a jewel. It is quickly paced, very funny, and stars one of the major stars of the silent era. Unfortunately, this film, along with most of Colleen Moore's other movies, is not commercially available. Bad bootleg prints are all that we will see until someone wises up to the quality of this movie and releases it on a quality DVD.

psteier A better than average comedy of the period that includes a backstage look at Hollywood. It includes a scene with Harry Langdon playing his typical screen character.Best scenes are Ella on the lam backstage at a Hollywood studio; at the photo studio; Ella's first cigar and the eye exercises. Some of the womens costumes and the titles are also very good.